[j-ball]

I've decided that I would like a better clutch hook-up since I ride 2-up a lot and have been looking into the Sherms Gorilla Clutch kit. I have read that the clutch effort to pull the lever is a lot more. This concerns me b/c I have a steel plate in my forearm (from totaling a ford focas on my klr650) that bothers me if I have to do a lot of hard squeezing...keep your dirty thoughts to yourself, lol. :nono:

So to all you Gorilla Clutch users, what is the pull effort like? An older harley? Would like to know the feel before I do the install and find out I can't do it. I've also read that you can add 2 stock steel plates to make it a little easier, what does it feel like then?

If it's too hard on my arm, what would be a better alternative other than stock? meanstreak 1500 spring w/ stock plates or barnett clutch kit?

 

[texas23]

Mine was slipping last May. I used the springs from the 1500 and the spacers from Gadgets web site. I did the install myself and it was pretty simple.

As I talked with the person who manufactures the spacers, his opinion was this set up was just as good, if not better, than using the gorilla.

The pull on the lever is reasonable and I do not notice any difficulty in stress in stop and go traffic at all.

you will need an impact wrench to do this project, but I think I got mine for under 15 dollars new.

 

[j-ball]

Texas23, you from Magnolia, TX? I was just out that way yesterday out past Waller at the Thirsty Parot Bar & Grill where the San Jacinto High Rollers was putting on a benefit for the Fallen Soldiers Foundation. We also stopped at the Texas Thunder on the way.

Anyways, thanks for the tip and definitely looking into it. And the impact wrench won't be a problem w/ my 60 gallon air compressor and air tools in my cluttered man cave.

 

[DreamStreak]

The Gorilla Clutch doesn't make the lever pullback any harder, it's the heavy duty spring included with the kit. And yes, the lever pull is a lot stiffer than you are used to, can't compare it to an old Harley cause i've never had one, but it's significantly more. You can get a lower tension spring with the Gorilla kit. I went with the Gorilla and stiff spring because of the power my bike is making. If you are going to change the clutch and don't have a big bore kit or other power adder more than the big 3, don't waste the money. Get a barnett clutch kit and either the stock or 1500 spring and ride.

 

[texas23]

Texas23, you from Magnolia, TX? I was just out that way yesterday out past Waller at the Thirsty Parot Bar & Grill where the San Jacinto High Rollers was putting on a benefit for the Fallen Soldiers Foundation. We also stopped at the Texas Thunder on the way.

Anyways, thanks for the tip and definitely looking into it. And the impact wrench won't be a problem w/ my 60 gallon air compressor and air tools in my cluttered man cave.

Yes,,,,the large area known as Magnolia. I have been by that bar before, I bought my son's Ninja from some people out that way.

 

[j-ball]

Texas23 when you say gadgets spacers, are you talking about the washers that are $25 for the set on the gadget site? Got a 1500 spring on the way...

 

[texas23]

Texas23 when you say gadgets spacers, are you talking about the washers that are $25 for the set on the gadget site? Got a 1500 spring on the way...

Yes,,,,that is what I am talking about. I called the guy direct, in Georgia, and talked to him on the phone about it. A little slow on getting me the spacers, but I was not in a large hurry anyway.

I think it took me a few hours to do the entire job.

 

[DreamStreak]

Who is this guy in Georgia?

 

[texas23]

Who is this guy in Georgia?

His nick name is Judge,,,I can not remember his real name, but Gadget lists his name and contact info on his page. I sent him an email and he called me the same night and then we talked a couple of times after that.

 

[DreamStreak]

Cool...I never knew he was in my neck of the woods.

 

[j-ball]

Does anybody know how to get ahold of "Judge"? I've tried emailing him but have gotten no responses.

 

[theiceman]

from totaling a ford focas on my klr650
If it's too hard on my arm, what would be a better alternative other than stock? meanstreak 1500 spring w/ stock plates or barnett clutch kit?

Hi j-ball. What is it with the frikken KLR 650? Mine spat me off and I've moved onto the meanie. My problem is using front brake coz of damaged right arm. Can we sart a petition to ban the KLR (or at least start a petition for ex KLR riders to HTFU)?

 

[j-ball]

:threadjac

Hi j-ball. What is it with the frikken KLR 650? Mine spat me off and I've moved onto the meanie. My problem is using front brake coz of damaged right arm. Can we sart a petition to ban the KLR (or at least start a petition for ex KLR riders to HTFU)?

LOL, what really sucked about my situation is my bike only had 3200 miles on her and I had paid it off a few weeks before. Two days after I got out of the hospital I got the title to it and it was sitting in my shop in pieces. I rebuilt her and still riding her. Just wanted to get a cruiser, so I went w/ the meanie.

 

[mikeycancino24]

Mine was slipping last May. I used the springs from the 1500 and the spacers from Gadgets web site. I did the install myself and it was pretty simple.

As I talked with the person who manufactures the spacers, his opinion was this set up was just as good, if not better, than using the gorilla.

The pull on the lever is reasonable and I do not notice any difficulty in stress in stop and go traffic at all.

you will need an impact wrench to do this project, but I think I got mine for under 15 dollars new.

did you replace the clutch as well, or only the spacers and spring? I noticed my slipping when I try to accelerate to quickly.

 

[billybobby]

1600's benefit from installing the 1500 Meanstreak clutch spring. The 1600 Meanstreaks got downgraded to the standard Classic, Nomad, etc clutch spring. As for plates, there's a thickness spec in the shop manual as well as a "spring plate gap" spec. It's just clutch pack thickness and affects how the clutch hooks up vs how much the "back torque limiter" slips. Less gap (within spec), thicker pack, is better. There are different thickness steels available to help adjust the spring plate gap. The shop manual goes into this.

More simply, install Barnett friction plates with a 1500 Meanstreak spring and have the steel plates glass beaded if you can reasonably.

The Judges washers disable the back torque limiter and give the clutch a more "solid" feel as a result at the expense of an increased chance for wheel hop downshifting.